NUBE bid to deregister AmFinance union fails

Justice Md Raus Sharif ruled yesterday that Keppa should continue to exist
because when it was registered on Dec 13, 2004, as an in-house union of the
former AmFinance Bhd, there was no other union representing the employees then.

<p>He said the Director-General of Trade Unions (DGTU) did not breach Section
12(1) of the Trade Union Act 1959 by registering Keppa. </p>
<p>The judge ordered NUBE to bear the costs of the proceedings. </p>
<p>NUBE had sought a declaration that the DGTU had acted contrary to the Act in
registering Keppa. </p>
<p>It claimed that Keppa&#146;s continued existence was contrary to the policy
in the Act, which discouraged multiplicity of unions within the same industry
or establishment. </p>
<p>It contended that the union&#146;s scope of membership overlapped NUBE&#146;s
with regard to the employees of Ambank (M) Bhd. </p>
<p>On June 1 last year, AmFinance Bhd took over all the assets, liabilities, rights
and obligations of the business of AmBank Bhd and changed its name to AmBank
(M) Bhd. </p>
<p>NUBE, which was represented by counsel R. Sivarasa and Latheefa Koya, is appealing
the decision.